Flashback: Vice President Agnew blows his whistle at Syracuse hecklers in 1972

Updated Oct 24, 2017; Posted Oct 24, 2017

Vice President Spiro Agnew blows his whistle at the New York State Fairgrounds during a speech in 1972. He carried the whistle around to try and stop anti war protesters.(Dick Blume / The Post-Standard)

With an improving economy and with foreign policy successes like establishing relations with China and nearing an end to American involvement in Vietnam, incumbent Richard Nixon would easily win reelection over Democrat Sen. George McGovern.

Two weeks before the landslide victory, on Oct. 24, 1972, Nixon's running mate, Vice President Spiro Agnew, made a campaign appearance at the Center of Progress Building at the State Fairgrounds. He spoke before 7,000 Republicans, and a very determined group of "250 college-age hecklers."

Thankfully for Agnew, he brought his sharp tongue and a police whistle to get through the evening.

Seated at one end of the building the hecklers "began to voice their disapproval of what was happening at the Republican rally" early in proceedings according to the next day's Post-Standard.

They started during the entertainment portion of the rally. Radio, film and TV comedian Frank Fontaine, famous for his "Crazy Guggenheim act, had switched from his comic routine to the music portion of his act, while interspersing praise for President Nixon, when the hecklers began pouring it on.

When Fontaine said Nixon was responsible for bringing four of his five sons home from Vietnam and that the fifth was on his way home "thanks to our great President," he was hissed and booed by the "small but vocal group."

Despite the numbers, the chants of "Four More Years" were having trouble drowning out the chants of "No More War." The exasperated master of ceremonies implored the crowd, "Let's hear it, I can still the McGovernites."

They chanted, yelled and even sang during speeches by Congressional candidate Leonard Koldin and Gov. Nelson Rockefeller but, according to the Post-Standard's Luther Bliven, "went to work in earnest when Agnew began speaking."

Agnew was introduced by Gov. Rockefeller, who acknowledged the boos and heckling: "This is America in action two weeks before an election, a great outpouring and an opposition having its right to be heard. We salute the opposition."

Agnew went for a different tact.

While being "booed lustily" as he began to speak, Agnew commented he had flown over the Bonneville Salt Flats earlier in the day, where a man had set a record for traveling faster than other human "except for Democrats fleeing from Sen. George McGovern."

He predicted McGovern would not do very well in Upstate New York. However, he understood McGovern's advisers had told him that "he is going to take the town of Bath. I'd recommend that to some of you."

He settled into his speech but as the "no more war" chants continued he turned to Rockefeller and said, "I don't think these people over there deserve to be considered part of the American system, because they lack common courtesy."

He continued: "There is such a thing as civility, courtesy and restraint, and the ability to hear another point of view. It is very difficult to hear or learn anything when your mouth is continually open."

He returned to his speech, but was again interrupted. His supporters tried to drown out the hecklers with cries of "four more years."

At this point, Agnew pulled a "police-type whistle from his pocket and blew a shrill blast on it."

The applause and laughter from his supporters finally overwhelmed the noise from the demonstrators.

"Don't bother with them, they are really not worth it," Agnew told his supporters, then told the hecklers, "Don't forget your bottle before you go to bed."

Agnew completed his speech with any "further serious distractions." Aides say it was the third time Agnew had used during the campaign to turn the tables on demonstrators.

The Nixon/Agnew ticket won the election with over 60 percent of the vote and carried 49 states.

Agnew would have to resign as vice president about a year after his night in Syracuse after being accused of extortion and bribery while he was governor of Maryland.

This feature is a part of CNY Nostalgia, a section on syracuse.com. Send your ideas and curiosities to Johnathan Croyle: Email | 315-427-3958.